Adam Lindemann is bucking conventions with what Christie’s is calling a “first of its kind” evening auction. The collector and gallerist, well-known for his hip, New York spot, Venus Over Manhattan, is parting with 40 pieces of his vast assemblage. The auction is to take place on Mar. 9, not in the typical November or May; as per his usual eschewing of convention, it will feature living artists (whom collectors are typically discouraged from selling for fear of depleting their value); and Lindemann has declined to remain anonymous, while most living sellers typically do. In fact, the sale has been titled, rather simply, “ADAM.”
In keeping with Lindemann's air of eccentricity, the auction will feature works from Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami, Jim Nutt, and an NFT from the collaboration between Beeple and Madonna. Also on sale are modernist design items, Oceanic artwork, and, inexplicably, a motorcycle. Most notably, Little Electric Chair, 1964, by Andy Warhol will make an appearance, a critical work from his “Death and Disaster” series. In its totality, the sale is expected to amass over $22 million, with $4-6 coming from the Warhol alone.
“Adam Lindemann is an artworld maverick,” said Christie's Chairman of 20th and 21st Century Art, Alex Rotter, in a statement. “He is a true innovator with a deep understanding of the cultural zeitgeist. He collects with passion and purpose—in a way, his collection is a point of genesis for leading artists of this generation.”
A portion of the proceeds will go to the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing for art of the peoples of sub-Saharan Africa, the Pacific Islands, and North, Central, and South America at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “I love African, Oceanic and pre-Columbian art. I’ve studied it my entire life,” Lindemann told The New York Times. “The first great work of art I bought was a fang from the French artist and collector Arman.” According to this interview, the “seven figure” gift will support the renovation of the wing, the steering committee of which Lindemann himself heads.
“ADAM: Works from the Collection of Adam Lindemann” will go on sale March 9, 2023 at 6 P.M. EST.
